Sydney properties still finding ready buyers

Property prices in Sydney have become notoriously expensive, perhaps more so in the past couple of years than ever before. But the buyers are still ready to take the dive, no matter how deep, as reflected by the sales of a Darling Square apartment project by Lend Lease Group where all the 391 units were sold within 4 hours.

Prices were not cheap, starting at A$630,000 (S$625,000) for a studio apartment and going up to A$3.5 million for a 3-bedder penthouse. In truth, property prices in Singapore are comparable and this Sydney property is situated in a prime location – just west of Sydney’s Central Business District. The property is set for completion by 2019 and will be able to house approximately 4,200 residents.

While more of the buyers were Australian, and with about 66 per cent buying the units to live in, property analysts are still waiting for the verdict to be out. Considering the proximity of these units to Sydney’s CBD, and positive rental yields, some buyers may eventually be looking at renting these units out.

There will be a construction boom in Sydney in the next couple of years as more than 81,649 new homes are expected to be built and completed within the time frame. By 2017, 34,300 new apartment units will enter the market. How will the rental market be able to cope with the spike in numbers come 2019, and will demand continue to increase?